The City of Oberlin recently erected a sign on route 511 at the city limits that announces Oberlin’s important designation as a “Preserve America Community.” Preserve America is a federal program that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The program seeks to foster a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthen regional identities and local pride, and increase local participation in preserving heritage assets and supporting the economic vitality of communities.

Oberlin became a Preserve America Community in 2004 after a lengthy application was submitted that was prepared by the Historic Preservation Commission and City Planning Commission with assistance from the Oberlin Heritage Center. The application provided extensive documentation to demonstrate that Oberlin protects and celebrates its heritage, uses its historic assets for economic development and community revitalization, andencourages people to experience and appreciate local historic resources througheducation and heritage tourism programs.

Oberlin is one of very few communities in the United States that is not only a Preserve America Community but also the home of a non-profit organization that has beendesignated a“Preserve America Steward.” The Oberlin Heritage Center earned the Preserve America Steward designation earlier this year for its excellent volunteer programs to preserve heritage and culture.

Oberlin is featured in a color photographon the cover of a new brochure about Preserve America which was distributed at the National Trust for Historic Preservation conference in Nashville, Tennessee in October 2009.

As of October, 2009, there are 795 communities,neighborhoods, counties, and tribal communitiesin the United States that have been designated as Preserve America Communities. There are 13 Preserve America Stewards. For more information, visit the website: www.preserveamerica.gov.

So back to our opening question for you: What are the places in and around Oberlin that you think are most deserving of preservation?Why? We want to know!